Persona: Dreamer's Story
by Cecil Murdock
Summary: After returning to school a series of strange attacks leads college student Marcus Sheridan into a world where reality and nightmares blur together. Veteran SEES members Aigis, Fuuka, and Shinjiro assist.
1. Ch 0: The Fool

**0. The Fool: Dream Awakening**

4/04/13: Thursday

The city was silent. An eerily large yellow moon hung low in the sky, casting long shadows upon the pavement. Marcus walked through the gloom with his headphones blaring heading through an intersection flooded with what looked like blood. The streets seemed interspersed with what looked to be coffins. He passed darkened storefronts, until he came to his destination. He pushed the double doors opened, entering the dorm-

The screeching of brakes shook Marcus awake. He sat up, stretching the tension from his neck and looking around the empty train car. He checked his watch, and saw that it was around five p.m. _If the train's on time, I should almost be back to school. _Marcus looked out the rain-streaked window, watching the gloomy scenery pass by. Trees still bare from the winter broke up the monotony of buildings, and garbage littered the tracks, collected around fences and concrete. He looked at his own reflection in the window, his untidy auburn hair, the tired expression in his dark brown eyes. _It's been a long trip, that's for sure._

"Next stop is University Station South, doors will open on the right."

Marcus pulled his bag from the overhead storage, and turned up his headphones, to drown out the sound of the platform. He pulled the hood of his sweatshirt up as he stepped onto the platform, paying no attention to the people around him as he strode away from the train and out of the station. The concrete of the platform gave way to rain soaked cobblestones. Marcus' phone vibrated as he reached a crosswalk. He stopped to check it as the crowd surged around him across the street.

_From: Jill  
Are you back yet? If you are, Lucas and  
I are heading down to South St. Pizza in a bit.  
Let me know : )_

Marcus typed a quick reply telling her he'd be there and flipped his phone back closed. As he looked up from his phone, Marcus was distracted by a luminous blue shape fluttered across his field of vision. _That butterfly again? It's just like back then. _The apparition was gone as soon as it had appeared, and Marcus was shaken out of his reverie by the walk signal.

The stone facades of the city high rises gave way to the shorter brick dorm buildings of the university. Outcroppings of trees interspersed the landscape, their branches still bare from the winter not quite ended. Marcus cut across the quad in front of his dorm building, reaching the front steps as the rain intensified to a downpour.

A small light filled the stairwell with dim illumination. Marcus pulled his hood back, and climbed the narrow metal staircase up to his floor, his wet sneakers squeaking on the stairs. The hall to his dorm room was empty and silent save for muffled conversation somewhere on another floor. He pushed open the door to his room, dropping his duffle bag in the corner next to his desk.

Marcus took off his headphones and put them with his mp3 player next to his desk lamp. The only sound in the room was the insistent pounding of the rain against the windows, the dull light of the street lamps coming on all that lit the small room, filtering from between the blinds. Marcus kicked his shoes off towards the closet next to the door. He stripped off his soaked sweatshirt and jeans, and collapsed on his bed, next to his desk by and by the window. He stared at the darkened ceiling, listening to the rain as he drifted to sleep. _What was that butterfly? I've seen it before, back there…_

Marcus was sitting on a couch upholstered in blue crushed velvet, in a room softly lit by indigo shaded lamps on the tables of plush leather lounge booths and by moonlight streaming through skylights in the high ceiling. Against the wall to Marcus's right, a bored looking girl with wavy, pale blonde hair wearing a deep blue business jacket and skirt leaned against a bar, regarding Marcus levelly with eerily golden eyes.

Marcus could hear the sound of piano music, drifting lazily through the air, but he couldn't place where it was coming from. A darkly lacquered wood coffee table sat in front of him and beyond that on a large chair, upholstered similarly to Marcus', sat a short, hunched man, his long nose framed by two overlarge, bloodshot eyes. His pointed, elongated ears curved over the shocks of white hair that ringed his bald head. He had his white gloved hands were steepled underneath his chin, in front of his black dinner jacket, and seemed to be waiting for Marcus to say something.

"What's going on… where am I?" Marcus' voice carried a mix of confusion and alarm, and he half rose from his seat.

The long nosed man raised a hand, and spoke in slow, high drawl, "Welcome to the Velvet Room. Do not be alarmed, I assure you that you are sound asleep. I have called you in your dreams, so that we might speak, face to face as it were."

Marcus considered the man's words, and eased back into his chair.

"Ok… so who are you then, and why do you want to talk to me?" Marcus asked

"My name is Igor. I have called you here because it is likely that you will require our services in the near future. Though you may not yet fully understand I believe that you sense you are coming to a crossroads in your destiny. Here in the Velvet Room you will find assistance in reaching your destination. The next time we speak, you will come of your own accord. At that time I hope to speak further, so that you might realize your full potential. Farewell for now," Igor said.

The slow piano music gradually changed to a more rapid tempo, and rose in volume until Marcus's eyes snapped open. His cell phone was vibrating and emanating a frantic piano staccato.

"Hello?" Marcus answered groggily.

"Where are you? I've been trying to get a hold of you for like twenty minutes," Jill said.

Marcus looked bleary eyed at his watch, which read 7:30 p.m. "Sorry, I sort of crashed in my room after I got here, I'll be down in fifteen."

"Good! How are we supposed to celebrate your return if you aren't here?" Jill said before hanging up.

Marcus closed his phone, and stared at the ceiling. The streetlights' orange glow cast long shadows in the dark room. Marcus swung his feet off his bed and stumbled into his room's small bathroom. He flipped the light switch and waited as it flickered on, looking at his impassive face in the mirror. Marcus splashed water on his face, and then walked to his closet, grabbing a dry pair of pants and his charcoal canvas coat. Marcus grimaced as he stepped into his shoes, which were still damp.

Marcus headed down the stairwell, still dazed and stepped out into the gloom of night. The rain had tapered off into a mist, and the sidewalks shone under the streetlights. Cars passed him, kicking up water in their wake, as Marcus headed back toward the city. The campus sat right on the outskirts, and covered a considerable area by itself. Marcus felt strange being back in his normal life after the time he'd spent away, walking familiar streets, passing the convenience store a block from his dorm, turning down the side street to South Street Pizza, where he had met his friends so often. It was a dingy hole-in-the-wall sort of place, but it was cheap and close, and that was all the excuse they needed.

As small as the place was, Marcus had no trouble finding his friends as he pushed open the door, its glass panes fogged over. A wave of heat washed over him as he walked over, settling into the booth next to Jill, grabbing a slice. Jill was a petite girl, her deep red hair pulled into a ponytail, and her eyes the color of storm clouds, behind square framed glasses. She wore a green canvas coat with a hood, over a black T-shirt. Lucas sat across from her, in an open red flannel button down shirt and white T-shirt, with shaggy blonde hair and hazel eyes.

"Sorry I'm late. Still trying to get settled back in, feeling pretty lagged," Marcus said.

"Yeah we probably could've waited until tomorrow, but I want to hear how your trip was!" Jill said.

"Well I slept on the train so I think I'm ok for a while yet. I miss anything interesting while I was gone?" Marcus said.

"Not much. It's rained almost the whole time you were gone, so I've pretty much been hibernating in my dorm room. It's only started getting warm enough to be outside in the past couple days," Lucas said.

"Lucas what about that girl you've been obsessed with? You know the one who transferred here just recently?" Jill said.

"A girl, huh? Been busy while I was gone I guess eh Luke?" Marcus said.

"I'm not obsessed! She's just kinda strange is all. She's always by herself, never talks to anyone, and she's always wearing these big earmuffs!" Lucas said.

"Well it has still been pretty cold. I think you're exaggerating honestly Lucas, she's probably just shy," Jill said.

"She wears them inside too! I'm telling you, I can't put my finger on it, but something is weird about that girl," Lucas said.

"Well enough about what we've been doing how was your trip? I want to hear all about what Japan is like," Jill said.

Marcus hesitated, "Honestly there isn't much to say. We did some sight-seeing, bought some souvenirs and came back. Nothing extraordinary," Marcus said.

Jill eyed him skeptically, "Well ok if you say so…"

"Aww c'mon man I know that can't be true! You were in a foreign country for _two weeks!_ Something interesting must have happened," Lucas said.

"You know, I'm feeling pretty beat… I think I'm going to head back early after all.," Marcus stood from his seat.

"Marcus! But you just got here, why are you acting so weird?" Jill's expression was concerned.

"I'll talk to you guys later. Early class tomorrow, you know? I'm just tired from the trip. Really," Marcus said.

Lucas began to protest but Jill cut him off, "Alright, well I guess we can catch up later then."

Marcus was already walking away as she finished speaking, leaving the building and stepping back into the night. As he turned back onto the main road, the rain picked up, quickly soaking his clothes as he walked back towards his dorm. _I guess I can't keep pretending like nothing happened. At the very least I'm going to have to tell Jill or Luke about it at some point, but not tonight. How would I even start _that_ conversation? Hey guys so while I was on vacation I think I had a psychotic episode, and now I'm going insane._

Rainwater was running down Marcus' face by the time he reached the door to his dorm. Standing in under the brick awning he reached for the door, pausing half way through opening it. On the far side of the quad, a girl was standing under a black umbrella. She wore a long black pea coat that went down almost to her knees, where her black socks began. Her short blonde hair framed her delicate features, and her gaze held a piercing quality. _Earmuffs…that must be the girl they were talking about. It is pretty weird that she'd just be standing around in the rain at night. Wait is she staring at me?_

Marcus shivered, making him realize once again that he was soaked through with rain. _I have enough to worry about without creating imaginary stalkers. Though I guess my imagination might be the problem to begin with._ Marcus turned away from the girl in the rain, and hurried up the stairs, his sneakers squeaking on the steps has he climbed them. Marcus unlocked his door, and then closed it behind him, standing a moment to listen in the dark to the pounding rain. Marcus undressed in the dark, changing into flannel pajama pants, before turning the TV. on with the remote. He lay in bed changing channels, his eyes unfocussed as the screen flickered between stations. After a few minutes he muted the TV rolling over in bed so that he was on his back, watching the shadows as they played against the wall and ceiling, ominous to Marcus as he drifted into sleep.

4/05/13: Friday

Marcus woke to the persistent sound of rain against the window, the overcast skies so heavy that it barely seemed like daylight. He checked his watch and saw that it was already 11 a.m. _I guess that settles whether or not I'm going to class this morning. _Marcus got out of bed, turning the TV off and tossing the remote onto his bed behind him before shuffling over to the bathroom. He washed his face in the sink, and then looked around for a moment before realizing that his toothbrush was still in his duffle bag. Marcus went to get his duffle by the door, opening the side pocket and rustling around. When he found his toothbrush and pulled it out of his bag, something else fell out with a metallic clank on the tiled floor. Marcus' breath caught in his chest as he reached down to pick up the short brass shell casing. He turned it over between his fingers, his eyes sliding out of focus. _This is my proof. Even if the rest of it was something I imagined, that girl with the gun was real. _

Marcus put the shell back in the bag, and went back to the bathroom, brushing his teeth and then making a futile attempt to comb his hair into a semblance of order. Marcus went to his dresser, pulling on a fresh t-shirt and jeans, and then grabbed a green hooded sweatshirt out of his closet. He grabbed his canvas shoulder bag, checking to make sure his books were in it, and then headed out. Marcus pulled out his phone as he entered the stairwell, dialing Jill's number.

"Hey, what's up Marcus?" Jill answered.

"You want to meet me down at Coffee Stop? I have some time before class, and I wanted to… explain myself. I know I was acting weird last night," Marcus said.

"Yeah, that sounds good. I'll meet you there in ten," Jill said before hanging up.

Marcus pulled his hood up as he stepped out the door into the rain, crossing the quad and then the street, following a sidewalk towards the strip mall where Coffee Stop was. Getting there took him around 15 minutes from his room. He walked past a cell phone store and a Laundromat, both relatively empty on a Monday around noon. When Marcus entered Coffee Stop the smell of brewing coffee and baked goods filled the air.

Marcus took in the shop. The slate tiled floor was interspersed with dark wood tables, fairly packed with patrons. In front of the back wall there was a lacquered wood counter, behind which baristas worked frantically to fill orders for impatient customers. Marcus found Jill at a table by the front window.

"Hey, you beat me here, hope you weren't waiting long," Marcus said.

"It's cool I just got here a second ago. So tell me about what's going on," Jill said. She had a steaming coffee in front of her.

Marcus put his bag down and took a seat across from her, "Ok. I'm sorry I didn't explain last night, it's just really messed up. I wasn't sure if I was ready to talk about it at all. I figure there's no sense trying to avoid it though. While we were in Japan my parents really wanted to see different parts of the countryside, not just the big cities. We stopped in this pretty small town, called Inaba. We were only there for a night. I went for a walk because it was nice out and when I did…"

"What happened?" Jill's voice was filled with concern.

"I was attacked I guess. I don't really know what it was, an animal or something. This girl saved me, she was a cop maybe? She had a gun and talked like one, even though she seemed kind of young. After I just left, I ran back to the place we were staying and I didn't talk about it. It was a really disturbing experience for me," Marcus said.

"I can see how that would be something you wouldn't really want to talk about. I'm glad that you're safe though. It was really lucky that someone was there," Jill said.

"Yeah," _Only that's not the whole story. It wasn't an animal, I'm sure of that, and that girl wasn't normal either. Or maybe it was normal and I was just in shock. I don't even know anymore. I can't tell anyone that though._

"Well I'm glad you told me. I was really worried about you. I also wanted to update about that thing I was telling you about," Jill said,

"The radio thing? Yeah tell me about it," Marcus said.

"Well since I first heard about it I've been trying to tune it in, and last Tuesday I got it for a few minutes right around midnight. It's weird though I haven't been able to since then, I'm not sure if it's only broadcast at really specific times or something," Jill said.

"So what did you hear when you tuned it in?" Marcus asked.

"It wasn't anything too special I guess. It just sounded like this girl talking to some of her friends. I think they were having an argument, it was sort of weird. I felt like I was listening to something I shouldn't be hearing," Jill said.

"Do you think maybe you were just picking up someone's cell phone maybe? It doesn't really sound like a broadcast," Marcus said.

"There's no way an analog radio could pick up digital signals from cell phones! It has to be some kind of radio broadcast. You should try picking it up sometime, just scan the radio frequencies around midnight, and then let me know if you pick anything up!" Jill said.

"I'll give it a try sometime. I should probably get going though. My Sociology lecture starts pretty soon, and I want to get something to drink beforehand," Marcus said.

"Oh, ok. I'll catch you later then, and thanks for telling me what happened," Jill said.

"No problem… just don't tell Luke ok? I kind of want to try and put the whole thing behind me," Marcus said.

Marcus ordered a latte, and stood at the counter waiting. _I wish I could've told her what really happened, but it's too crazy. I'm not entirely sure I believe it myself. What that girl said then too… I don't know what to believe._

The barista who brought him his drink was a slight girl with shoulder length turquoise hair, "Vanilla Chai Latte, here you go," She said.

Marcus took the drink and turned to leave but stopped. The girl's smile had faltered, and she regarded him with a surprised expression.

"Is something the matter?" Marcus asked, an unsure smile on his face.

The girl seemed to snap out of her reverie, "No, it's nothing, sorry. You just looked familiar to me for a second."

"Oh, well I _am_ in here a lot. Well… take care," Marcus said, before heading out. As he walked away he couldn't help but feel like he was being watched.

The rain had tapered off to a slow, persistent drizzle as Marcus headed to his lecture. He sipped his latte, still curious about the girl from the coffee shop and the strange look she'd given him. _Maybe it's starting to show; maybe people can see how preoccupied I am. _The campus was full of people hurrying through the rain to their classes, rushing between the brick buildings in a vain attempt to stay dry. Most of the classroom buildings were old, gothic buildings, some of them the oldest structures in the city.

Marcus stepped into the lecture hall, taking a seat in the back, dropping his book bag on the floor next to his chair and retrieving his notebook. The lecture was some hundred plus students in size, Marcus wondered why he'd even bothered to go given his frame of mind. The sociology professor began his lecture and Marcus tried to follow along, taking notes, but was distracted when he noticed a girl had taken a seat in the same row as him, all the way at the back of the lecture hall. It was the blonde girl he'd seen under the streetlight the previous evening. She wasn't wearing the earmuffs, instead she wore what looked like a pair of large studio headphones. The girl had a notebook and pencil but didn't seem to be paying particular attention to either. Instead she was sitting, back straight and totally unmoving, occasionally casting furtive glances at Marcus.

_Ok, maybe she is a little odd. Is she following me then?_

Marcus spoke in a whisper without turning to look at the girl, "Did you just transfer recently? I don't remember seeing you around,"

The girl matched his whisper, "Yes, I transferred to this school after the semester started. I came here from Japan."

_Japan? She doesn't look Japanese, that's sort of odd too, _"That's cool; I just came back from vacation there. I'm Marcus."

"My name is Ai. It is a pleasure to meet you," the girl said.

"So are you a Sociology major? I'm just taking this class as a prerequisite," Marcus said.

"My primary area of study is Anthropology actually. I find the study of human societies and cultures to be fascinating," Ai said.

_When she says it like that it makes it seem like she doesn't consider herself part of either of those, _"That's cool. I'm a classic lit student, but that does sound really fascinating. How long are you studying here for?"

"I am not sure. I have no plans to leave any time within this year," Ai said.

"I see. Well I suppose we'll be classmates then, probably next year too," Marcus said.

"Indeed. That is likely," Ai said.

Marcus found his thoughts drifting back towards his dream about the Velvet Room. _What did he say? A crossroads in my destiny. What a weird thing to dream about. _

Marcus paid only passing attention to the rest of the lecture. When it ended, he grabbed his book bag and shuffled out of the aisle behind Ai. He walked with her out of the lecture hall, and back into the rainy afternoon. He pulled the hood on his sweatshirt up, and Ai produced a small umbrella from her shoulder bag. She wore brown loafers and white knee high socks, a long black pleated skirt, and a black cardigan. _She is cute, I can see why Lucas had taken notice of her. She does seem a little strange though. I can place what it is exactly._

"I must return home now. I will see you soon I am sure Marcus. Take care of yourself," Ai said, regarding him steadily.

"Ah, yeah I'll see you then," Marcus said.

As Ai walked away, Marcus felt his phone vibrating in his sweatshirt pocket. He felt his breath catch in his throat when he read the message.

_Mr. Sheridan, my master has requested your presence  
in the Velvet Room, so that he might further apprise you  
of the situation. At your earliest convenience, please arrive  
at the following address. We eagerly await your arrival.  
Margaret_

Marcus read the address. It was a building in downtown that he was used to walking by on his way to the mall. It was a jazz club that had been built in the 40s, closing down only in the past couple years. It hadn't been called the Velvet Room though.

Marcus stood in indecision, staring at the text message blankly. _If I am crazy, then seeing this message means that I am probably beyond help. If I'm not, maybe I can get some answers as to what's going on around me lately. I suppose it couldn't hurt to go out to the club at least. It isn't too far away and it's in a pretty busy part of town. I don't think I'll be in any danger._

Marcus thought this, but wasn't really concerned about possible danger. More than anything, he was driven by a need for answers. _What happened to me in Inaba?_

Marcus caught a shuttle bus, riding for about 5 minutes until he arrived at Union Street, where the old club was. From the bus stop Marcus walked past stone facades and under canvas awnings, dripping with rain water. Most of the buildings on Union Street were old, from the 30s and made of brick and wood. Many had been converted into apartments rented by students, while others still served as small offices. The club was nestled between two apartment buildings, the wooden panels of its siding covered in peeling black paint. When Marcus reached the door he hesitated. From between the cracks around the frame there was a blue glow. As he watched, a blue butterfly, luminous and ethereal like the one he'd seen the previous evening, settled on the brass doorknob. Marcus reached tentatively for the knob, causing the butterfly to flutter off and fade from site. He grasped the doorknob and pulled open the door, closing it behind him, and found himself standing in a lavishly accoutered lounge and bar. Much of the furniture and walls were darkly lacquered wood, and the carpets were plush and indigo, reflecting luminous moonlight, despite the fact that it was cloudy and daytime.

A very pale woman approached him from the bar, holding out her hand in a businesslike fashion, while regarding him with luminous gold eyes.

"Mr. Sheridan, it's good to see you again. I don't believe I have formally introduced myself. My name is Margaret, a resident of the Velvet Room, and here to assist our guests as possible. Please follow me, my master awaits you," Margaret said.

"Sure… I have questions for him that I hope he can answer," Marcus said, following closely behind Margaret.

The lounge was exactly as it had been in his dream, a surreal quality filling the room, accompanied by soft piano music. Marcus settled near the bar, into the couch from his dream, and across from him sat the strange bald man who had called himself Igor. Marcus sat nervously waiting for Igor to speak.

"I'm so glad you accepted our invitation, there is much I must tell you. I imagine you have many questions," Marcus found Igor's manic grin somewhat unsettling.

"I do. What is this place for starters. How can there be moonlight if it's the middle of the day?" Marcus said.

"This is the Velvet Room, a space that exists not in your world, but in the space between worlds. It exists to aid extraordinary individuals such as yourself," Igor said.

"Extraordinary how? Not to sound modest but I don't think I'm all that special," Marcus' tone was frustrated.

"I cannot yet explain to you the qualities that set you apart. You will discover them soon enough, and suffice it to say that if I did choose to tell you now, you would not believe me. Besides, I believe that there is another question that you are more interested in having answered," Igor said with a knowing smile.

"What was the thing that attacked me in Inaba? Was that somehow related to what you say is going to happen to me? My 'crossroads' or whatever it is?" Marcus had lost all pretenses of composure.

"The thing that attacked you does indeed have bearing on your destiny, or at least things like it. What you saw was a shadow that exists in all minds, unleashed after long imprisonment. You will face such beings again I'm afraid, but perhaps not alone," Igor produced a pack of cards. "Do you know anything about Tarot? The card's are used to read one's fate. Through them, much can be revealed." Igor laid a card on the table that sat between them, and flipped it face up.

"Behold the Fool. The Fool represents the potential of every person, ready to embark upon the journey of life," Igor laid out a second card, horizontally over the Fool.

"And here," Igor flipped the card over, "Death reversed opposes the Fool. This portends disaster. Very interesting indeed. It seems that you face some sort of grand misfortune."

Igor laid out five more cards around the first two, flipping them over in a clockwise fashion. "the Magician and Hierophant are already near. Unbeknownst to you, three others also are near to you: the Chariot, whom you have already met, the Priestess, and Strength. All will prove important to the coming events. Now for the foreseeable future," Igor drew two more cards, laying them vertically next to the spread, "the Moon, signifying a great mystery and the Tower suggesting an upheaval. Yes, there can be no doubt that your destiny is fraught with peril. A great mystery faces you, and the dangers it will present are great. Yet in this endeavor you are not alone. Already individuals are poised to aid you in reaching your destination."

"You keep talking about fulfilling destiny and reaching my potential, but I don't understand what that _means_. Isn't there anything else you can tell me?" Marcus said.

"I'm afraid that I cannot explain anymore. There are limits to what I can see, and what I can tell you. Ultimately it is your destiny, and you must discover it for yourself. I can only warn you to be cautious; dangers lurk in the shadows and were you to waste time your destiny could be lost forever. Things will be more clear to you soon, in the meantime let me give you this," Igor swept up the cards back into his deck with his left hand, and with his right lay a brass key on the table, attached to a blue ribbon.

"This key will allow you to return here if and when you so desire. We in the Velvet Room are here to aid our guests on their paths, so that they might realize their full potential. I ask only that you keep what I have told you in mind. . If you have no other business for the time being, I will bid you farewell for now."

Marcus bit back another bitter outburst, instead turning to leave. Margaret followed him to the door.

"You shouldn't let this frustrate you too much Mr. Sheridan. If you are patient, the things that are currently beyond your understanding will soon become apparent," Margaret said in her noncommittal tone.

Marcus exhaled heavily, "That's easy to say, but it's a little difficult to swallow from my position. I feel like I'm losing my mind."

Margaret studied him for a moment, "I think you know that is not true. You'll have to persevere for now. There is much that hinges upon your destiny, not the least of which is your life."

Margaret's matter-of-fact tone chilled Marcus, "I'll keep it in mind. Maybe I'll be seeing you again in the near future."

Margaret bowed as she opened the door to see Marcus out, "I hope so. Take care Mr. Sheridan."

The door closed, and Marcus found himself once again standing on the rainy street in front of the club. He turned to the door, which now looked completely mundane. If not for the weight of the key in his pocket, Marcus would have thought it was all some elaborate hallucination. He began the walk back to the bus stop, still trying to regain his composure in the wake of his visit.

Marcus caught the bus back to campus and got off near the library. Marcus stopped on the front steps when he heard someone call his name.

"Hey, Mark, wait up!" Lucas said.

"Luke, hey what's up? Headed to the library?" Marcus said.

"Yeah I need to do some research for a paper. What're you doing?" Lucas said, following Marcus into the library lobby.

"Same thing, more or less. It is that time in the semester you know? I'm heading up to find some books I need to finish," Marcus said.

"About last night, sorry if I was prying. I didn't mean to set you off like that man," Lucas said.

"No I overreacted. I think I was just overtired really. I'll tell you about my trip later, promise, though really it _wasn't_ too exciting. I do have some pictures and stuff though," Marcus said. They reached the stairwell and Lucas turned the opposite way Marcus was headed.

"Alright man I'll catch up with you later then. Good luck with your research!" Lucas said.

"Sounds good man, I'll see you," Marcus said, climbing the stairs to the stacks.

The floor he emerged onto was silent, and it seemed to Marcus that his footfalls resonated through the building, despite the carpeted floor. Marcus found a reference terminal in the middle of the floor, already logged in, and brought up the search catalogue. He entered a keyword, to get a vague idea of where he needed to look, and copied down some call numbers onto a slip of paper. He walked amongst the shelves of books, crammed wall to wall, until he came to the section he had written down. He grabbed a number of books about Tarot, and carried them to a study booth. He set his bag down, and put his headphones on, picking up one of the books, and perusing it listlessly. _Many use the cards of the tarot to discern personal truth… _before long, Marcus had sunk into a troubled sleep.

Marcus lay on the ground in a large marble corridor, lined with windows. It was night, and the moon hung low and luminous in the sky, casting deep shadows. It was eerie in size, and glowed a deep yellow in the dismal sky. At the far end of the hall was a large set of heavy double doors that looked to be made of white marble, and shone with pearlescent light in the gloom.

Marcus stood up, looking around him. Beyond the path lit from the moonlight, the hall was plunged into impenetrable shadows. Marcus felt a pressing weight on his consciousness. _I have to get to those doors. I need to get out of here._ As he began to walk forward, the shadows began to roil around him, and Marcus could hear a low chatter echoing through the hall. Marcus fell backwards onto the floor at the sight before him. The moonlight on the marble floor was slowly disappearing beneath inky shadow, and as it grew closer to him, Marcus could see long, slender-fingered hands reaching out to grab him. Marcus scrabbled desperately back from the shadow and into the moonlight, as the hands grasped blindly at him, their ebon limbs dripping shadow like molten pitch. The shadows closed in from all around him, hands grabbing Marcus and dragging him backward the murmuring voices a roar in his ears as the darkness blotted out his vision. Marcus tried to scream but the darkness seemed even to swallow the sound of his voice.

Marcus awoke with a start, and fell backwards in his chair. He rolled off the chair, rubbing the spot where he'd hit his head. _Those things again, I can't have a moment's peace even when I'm sleeping._ Marcus checked his phone to see what time it was, and saw that it was past ten. _I can't believe I was asleep that long. _The silence in the library was stifling. The sound of the chair scraping across the carpet as he righted it sounded painfully loud_._ Marcus gathered up his things and headed for the stairwell, his foot falls echoing down the stairs as he exited to the main floor and out into the chill of the night air. As Marcus exited the building, he put on his headphones, trying to drown the silence out with music. As he walked past darkened campus windows, Marcus noticed that there were no people around. _Even if it's a little late I wouldn't expect the campus to be this deserted. This is really starting to weird me out. _

The streetlights bathed him in light as Marcus headed back to his room, and the shadows reminded him of his nightmare. Marcus felt himself walking faster as he turned down a side street, cutting through a courtyard between two dorm buildings. The lights from the windows gave a little normalcy to the scene, and Marcus slowed down for a moment. Marcus heard a crash, and looked up. A blonde girl stood poised on the edge of the dorm building's roof, apparently scanning the distance, before she kicked off, propelling herself through the air and into the darkness. _Was that the girl from my lecture? _Before Marcus could finish the thought, he was knocked off his feet by something that had grabbed his leg.

Marcus broke his fall with his arm, wincing as it contacted the pavement. He looked over to see what had made him fall, and choked when he saw an inky black hand grasping at his ankle. A substance that looked like tar bubbled up from between the pavement stones, forming into a dripping, gaping maw, screeching at him. Marcus screamed, and kicked at the creature, scrambling backward and stumbling to his feet. Not looking back, Marcus broke into a run, through the courtyard and toward the lit street. A blow from Marcus's left sent him sprawling to the ground, knocking the wind out of him. Marcus coughed and rolled onto his side, dazed from the blow, and tried to struggle to his feet. His vision cleared, revealing a closing circle of puddle like creatures, with dripping black limbs, and strange brightly colored masks.

Marcus felt the cold stone of the building on his back, and watched with rising panic as the arms of the monsters elongated, into shadowy blades. His mouth felt cottony, and his ears were ringing. _It's just like before. These things, what the hell are they. They can't be real! This isn't happening!_

Marcus felt his body shaking all over as the shadowy creatures closed in

_I…I am…_

Marcus could hear a deep voice, echoing as if from a great distance, but couldn't focus on anything but the creature looming before him. His head throbbed, and his vision swam in and out of focus. The nearest creature lashed out at Marcus with one of its many blades, and he dove wildly out of the way, barely escaping the creature.

_I am thou… and thou art…_

His head throbbed again, as the voice whispered more insistently in his ears. Marcus grasped his head, clenching his eyes closed against the throbbing pain. Marcus knew that he should running, but he couldn't make his legs work. _This voice, so familiar… what the hell is going on?_ Time seemed to move in slow motion. The creatures' arms raised in unison, preparing to strike.

Unbidden, a word emerged, haltingly from Marcus's lips, as if fighting to get out "Per…so…na."

Marcus was blinded by a flash of light, and when the light subsided, a luminous figure stood (("rose"?)) between him and the creature. The figure stood eight feet tall with raven wings, and a flowing grey robe hanging off its shoulders. The shadowy creatures shrunk away from the luminous figure, as it lashed out. Gale force winds filled the courtyard, forming a wall of wind around Marcus and the winged figure, shredding several of the creatures that were too slow in backing away. The creatures sputtered and screamed as they fell to pieces, sizzling against the pavement.

Marcus sagged against the wall, his vision fading as the figure turned to face him. He looked into its face, as it gazed down at him with pearlescent eyes that shone like the moon.

"_I am thou, and thou art I. I am Morpheus: master of dreams. I have emerged from the sea of your soul and shall guide you through my realms on your journey."_

Marcus gazed up at the figure in awe, as he sank to the ground. _It's like what happened with that girl. I don't… I can't… _Marcus' thoughts began to run together, as he began losing consciousness. Marcus saw sleek black heels hit the pavement, flashing light, and falling shell casings, and then darkness.


	2. Chapter 1: The Magician (part 1)

**Magician: Morpheus  
**4/06/13: Saturday

Marcus opened his eyes, and found himself staring at a ceiling fan, lit dimly by orange light from the street, filtered through the blinds. He tried to sit up, and immediately regretted the decision as the room began to spin. His head throbbed as he lay back down and fumbled in his pocket for his phone, showing it was just past midnight. Slowly this time, so as not to fall over again, Marcus attempted to sit up managing only to roll onto his side. He was lying on a couch in a small living room, adjacent to what looked like a kitchen. The room was sparsely decorated, save for a few pictures, group shots that looked like they were taken from high school.

From the next room over Marcus could hear a conversation being carried on in hushed tones.

"…found him there after I neutralized the other shadows. He appears to have fallen unconscious after awakening to his persona. Traces indicate that he defeated a shadow before losing consciousness. I arrived just as his persona manifested. It seems that I was right to follow him," The voice's inflection was somewhat deliberate, as if the emotion conveyed in the words was a learned affectation.

A softer, female voice responded, "This marks the third shadow related incident in the past two weeks. I knew he had the potential when I first met him, but to defeat a shadow when his persona awakened…"

"He got lucky that's for sure," The third voice was male, low and nasal.

"Hopefully he'll be alright. The strain of using his persona immediately after it awakens…" The soft spoken girl said.

Marcus felt a nauseating jolt, as he remembered what had happened to him. _Those monsters, just like before._ He felt panic rising inside himself, and lay back trying to regain his composure. He heard a dog bark over the blood pounding in his ears.

"Koro-san informs me that Marcus-san is awake now," the deliberate girl said.

The dizziness subsided, and Marcus heard footsteps. He opened his eyes and found himself looking up into the face of the turquoise haired barista from the coffee shop. She knelt down beside him, holding a glass of water.

"Are you feeling well enough to sit up?" She said.

Marcus eased himself up, finally managing to lean upright against the back of the couch, and taking the glass of water from the girl.

"Where am I, and how did I get here? What the hell is going on?" Marcus said.

The girl looked unsure for a moment, then spoke, "You're in our apartment. Aigis brought you here after you fainted."

"I am glad to see you have regained consciousness. I am sorry I could not intervene sooner," a second girl stood by the open door frame, and Marcus saw that it was the exchange student he'd spoken with the previous day.

"What the hell, you know each other? Seriously I need an explanation. What were those things and who are you? I feel like I'm losing my mind!"

The girl kneeling in front of him held her hands up, "Please don't panic! My name's Fuuka, and you've already met Aigis. I intend to explain everything that happened, but it's going to be a lot to take in."

"Don't sugarcoat it for him. The kid's in it now one way or another," The speaker was a tall man with shaggy brown hair down to his chin, and stern gunmetal grey eyes.

Fuuka turned to look at him, "I know that Shinjiro, but it doesn't mean we should dump everything on him at once.

Fuuka stood up straightening out her calf-length, sea green skirt, and sat on the couch next to Marcus.

"Try to bear with me. The three of us came here several months ago. We've been tracking the occurrence of incidents and phenomena related to the things that attacked you: the shadows."

"A shadow? Why are these things here all of a sudden?" Marcus tried to keep incredulity out of his voice.

"We aren't sure why they've begun to manifest in this area more prominently, we only knew from recorded patterns that they would. The precise nature of shadows is still unclear, but they seem to exist as a result of repressed or powerfully negative emotions within the human psyche. I know that sounds outlandish, but you saw it for yourself tonight," Fuuka said.

Marcus held his face in his hands. _So it was real after all_

"I don't know what I saw. Some blobby thing reaching out at me," he remembered at that moment the last things he'd seen before losing consciousness, "What was that voice, and that thing that protected me then? It called itself Morpheus."

"That was what we call a Persona; specifically it was _your_ Persona. Personas are sort of the reverse of shadows. They manifest from the force of will of a person, and act as a shield against danger. They're sort of like an alter ego we assume that lets us fight the shadows," Fuuka said.

"_We?_ So you guys all have these Personas too?" Marcus said.

"Yes, and while it isn't common, the Persona phenomenon is not unique to us. There are stories all over the net about Persona activity. You summoned your Persona instinctively because your life was in danger. That was our fault and I'm sorry. We were tracking shadows and I was careless, and let several slip by unnoticed. They were drawn to your latent ability," Fuuka's voice was grave.

"Shadows are repressed portions of the human mind. They're incomplete beings, and so attack and feed upon people. They seem especially to hate people with Personas. Yours will let you fight them, but you're still new to your power. You'll have to be extra careful, because your Persona is still weak. Shadows won't hesitate to attack you if you're caught by yourself," Shinjiro said in a wry tone. His hands were dug deep into the pockets of his black jeans while he leaned against the door post.

"Because of that danger, for now we think Aigis should follow you, particularly at night. We've never seen a shadow manifest in daylight before, so you should be safe then," Fuuka said.

Marcus took a moment to more closely consider Aigis, and realized that she was not wearing regular clothing. Instead she wore a white skintight suit. He realized with a start that her joints were visible and mechanical, and that her headband was attached.

Aigis noticed his lingering gaze, "If your stare indicates confusion, allow me to clarify. I am a humanoid anti-shadow weapon, what you might refer to as a robot. I possess human emotions and also the power to summon a persona, but I am a machine. It is a pleasure to properly make your acquaintance."

Marcus shook his head in disbelief, "This is too crazy. So I have magic powers that let me fight shadow monsters, like you guys and your robot."

The dog Marcus had heard earlier, a small wolfish looking white dog with red eyes, barked at his comment.

"Koro-san, given Marcus-san's disposition, this would probably be an inopportune time to mention your Persona," Aigis said.

Marcus stared agape at Aigis, ostensibly speaking to the dog. He turned to Fuuka, "Is she being serious right now?"

Fuuka looked apologetic, "I don't think I have an answer that will make this easier to accept. It's all true however. Koromaru is a rare exception, the only one we've encountered. Are there any other questions I can answer for you that might make this easier?"

Marcus paused, considering, "You said that you'd come here because you knew there would be shadows. How did you find out about them to begin with? Where did you learn about all this?"

"Do you remember the doomsday cults, and the Apathy Syndrome pandemic four years ago?" Fuuka asked.

"Yeah, I remember it was really bad that winter. Loads of people I went to school with were out because of it. Everyone was freaking out, it was like the end of the world, but then it just sort of fizzled out. Everyone started coming out of it, and things went back to normal. Are you saying that was because of shadows?" Marcus said.

"Yes, exactly. Four years ago we were all members of a team dedicated to defeating shadows. By stopping a being known as Nyx, we prevented what would have meant the end of life as we know it. The outcome of our battle let the world revert back to being more or less normal. Shadows still persist however, and we're trying to figure out what that means," Fuuka explained.

"So Shadows came from this Nyx thing, and not from people? I don't really get it," Marcus's mind reeled.

"Like I said, we don't entirely understand their origins either. Initially we believed that shadows were brought into the world by a series of experiments conducted by the Japanese Zaibatsu known as the Kirijo group. I've done extensive research since then which suggests that shadows have existed for much longer. It's possible that they have always existed. We do know like I've said, that whatever makes them manifest, shadows seem to be given shape and power from repressed human emotions or the subconscious mind," Fuuka was leaning forward as she explained in a gentle tone.

"So a persona is like a controlled shadow or something," Marcus said tentatively.

"Sort of. Shadows and personas are like two sides to the same coin. Shadows are generated like background noise, from collected negative emotions and repressed feelings, but it seems like only a very small number of people can physically manifest personas. Personas manifest in moments of danger, or when summoned by someone with control over their persona. We don't know why the shadows have begun manifesting here though Until this past year we didn't think they could show up in the normal world. When we had previously faced them, it had been in a closed off space and time called the Dark Hour," Fuuka said.

"What's the Dark Hour?" Marcus asked.

Shinjiro's expression clouded over here and he spoke up from the doorway, "It doesn't matter really. When Nyx was defeated, the Dark Hour disappeared. Shadows didn't though. We figured that out after we tracked one into a subway. It derailed a train and would've killed everyone on board if we'd been a little bit later. Authorities ruled it as some sort of 'catastrophic accident'" Shinjiro's voice was full of disdain at this last.

"I have to be honest, I'm a little relieved. I was starting to think I was losing my mind, after I was attacked last week," Marcus sighed heavily.

"This wasn't the first time you were attacked?" Shinjiro asked sternly.

"I was attacked while on vacation with my parents in Japan. Until just now I wasn't sure that I hadn't had some sort of psychotic episode. While we're on that subject actually, there's something else. I've had dreams about a place called the Velvet Room. Is that me being crazy or is it related?" Marcus said.

Everyone looked surprise at this mention. Fuuka was finally the one to respond, "That's very surprising. There are a handful of accounts of people being contacted by an agency known as the Velvet Room. The accounts of how the Velvet Room appears vary from person to person, but certain facts are always the same and indicate that it is always the same agency. The Velvet Room is presided over by an entity named Igor, and an unknown number of servants or residents. They seem to intercede on the behalf of persona users. We personally have interacted with the Velvet Room twice. The first time with a boy who was in our group, the second with Aigis. The Velvet Room appeared was mentioned very infrequently in my research, and if you've been contacted the situation might be more serious than we had thought," Fuuka said.

"What makes you say that?" Marcus asked.

Aigis spoke up, "When I was brought into the Velvet Room, it was to address a world altering danger that was centered on me. Judging by our own experiences, and the infrequency of reports concerning the Velvet Room, it is a reasonable deduction that they only intercede when circumstances are appropriately grave."

"That's reassuring. So what am I supposed to do then? I'm just a college student, not some magic knight," Marcus said.

"For one thing, now that your persona has awakened, shadows will be drawn when you're out at night, particularly if your persona is weak and inactive. You'll look like a juicy meal to them. If you can control your persona, random shadows are less likely to move in on you. They seem particularly intent on killing individuals with the potential to summon personas, but they're afraid of them too. We'll help you learn to control your persona, and then at least you can defend yourself." Shinjiro said

"It's up to you what you want to do after that. Does that seem reasonable?" Fuuka said.

"If my alternative is getting murdered by one of those shadows then yeah, I can live with being followed around, and learning more about this persona thing," Marcus said. He was trying to stay focused, but was having a tough time keeping himself upright in his chair.

Shinjiro seemed to take notice, "We can talk about all this shit later though, it's late and you look like hell. You can stay here for the night, you don't look in much shape to go home, and the buses have stopped running for the night anyway. Get some rest kid."

"You're right. We shouldn't bombard him with this all at once. I'll go get you an extra blanket from the hall closet." Fuuka said.

Shinjiro and Fuuka left the room, leaving Marcus with just Aigis and the dog, Koromaru. He let himself lay back down on the couch, the last vestiges of his strength ebbing away. Whatever a persona was, it had drained him of all his strength. Through a haze of exhaustion, Marcus could see Aigis, still staring at him intently from across the room.

"I appreciate you wanting to help me Aigis, but I think I can manage to safely lie on this couch, you don't need to look so worried," Marcus said.

"Of course Marcus-san. I will be nearby if you need me," Aigis said. She hesitated a moment, and then left.

Fuuka returned with a blanket, which Marcus accepted wordlessly, barely clinging to consciousness.

"I'll see you in the morning. Rest for now," Fuuka said quietly. Marcus heard her voice from far away, as he sank into a troubled sleep.

He stood in the daylight, but the colors seemed washed out, like a fuzzy TV station. The hallway Marcus was wide, with white washed walls and shining white tiles. It looked to be a school. He couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was, but something about his field of vision seemed slightly off to Marcus. _The ground seems a little too close._

Marcus was rushing down the hallway and down a flight of stairs and then past banks of small lockers and out the front door, into a courtyard facing the school's front gate. Marcus rushed over to hide behind a tree, and could feel his heart pounding, though he couldn't say as to why he felt so anxious. He watched as two boys in high school uniforms walked out of the school and towards the gates. One was a lanky boy with straight dark blue hair; the other was stockier and had on a baseball cap. Marcus didn't pay much attention to the boy in the hat, instead watching the thinner boy intently. He wore a black blazer, with a round emblem on one breast pocket.

As they walked past, the boy with the blue hair stopped just for a moment, turning to look at where Marcus was hiding. When their eyes met, Marcus could feel his heart leap. The boy seemed very familiar to him. The moment passed quickly, and the boy continued walking. As the boy shrank into the distance, Marcus felt a deep sadness welling up inside him.

Looking at the doors of the school Marcus realized what looked strange. _I'm shorter. Is this even me?_ Marcus looked down at his hands, and saw that they were smaller and that he was wearing white gloves over them.

The sound of sirens passing by outside startled Marcus out of his dream.


End file.
